Thats's so American
by Pen-of-Gold
Summary: American wizard Nathaniel Lewis recieved a letter asking him to be a part of the famouse Hogwarts school. He meets the Potter and Weasly children and soon learns that not everyone will accept him, it's so american.
1. Alone in the beginning

I watched the family pass through the brick pillar between platforms 9 and 10. This was to be my first year at the legendary school. The first American to be accepted into Hogwarts; I should have been thrilled. There was one problem, I was 16. The headmistress, Minerva McGonagall, had told me at instead of two more years of school I was to take three. Hence my disappointment. Any normal kid would be happy to go to a wizarding school, but I wanted to be done with school of any types.

Platform 9 ¾ was packed with families and friends; neither of which wanted to accompany me here. I was the lonely muggle born who everyone at home thought was a freak. Don't get me wrong I was thrilled to be there, but being the new kid at any school is hard. My owl, a small barn owl I had named Kevin, flapped his wings excitedly in his cage. He was more excited than I was, woo. As we searched the train for a place to sit we found all the cars were filled. But there was one car that still had two empty seats in it.

"Can I join you?" I asked the kids occupying the compartment.

"Sure," a sweat girl with red hair said smiling at me. She looked to be about my age but was probably in the year that I should have been in based off of age.

"Your new aren't you?" asked a boy with short black hair and deep green eyes. He looked a little like the girl who said I could join them. Siblings, I thought.

"How could you tell?" I asked trying to make light of my situation.

"It's your accent."

"Lack off you mean," I said sitting down. "To me you are the ones with the accents."

"Whatever you say mate, my name is Albus Potter. That there is me sister Lily. The kid next to the window is my friend Scorpio and the girl across from him is my cousin Rosie. Her brother Hugo should be along in a moment."

"Nice to meet you all, my name's Nate."

"What's your owl's name?" asked Rosie joining in on our conversation.

"Kevin," I said happily. The others just stared at me as if I was telling a joke.

"That's so American," Scorpio chimed in from his window seat. He had blond hair the fell past his ears like a surfer from California. His chin was pointed and he seemed rather rude.

"Thank you?" I said rather confused.

"Where's Hugo?" asked Lily trying to change the subject.

"Right here," a boy with red hair and freckles said joining us. He and his sister had the same bright red hair and freckly face. "Mum and dad wouldn't let me go until I gave them all of uncle George's gifts."

"And did you?" Albus said and a look of panic fell across his face.

"Yeah," Hugo said cheerily. "All of the ones in my pockets. There's still a load of things in my trunk."

"Good, otherwise it would have been a boring year."

"Mum said not to get into trouble this year though Al," Lily said trying not to be a part of her brother's plans.

"Are you all in the same house?" I asked before I became a part of them too.

"Me and Scorpio are in Slytherin, and the rest of em are in Gryffindor."

"What house are you in?" asked Hugo.

"I'm not in one yet," I said sinking into my seat.

"You're not a bloody first year, you're too big," Scorpio said with curiosity.

"You're right," I said. "I'm 16, but McGonagall is making me a 5th year."

"Then you'll be in our year," said Lily happily. "Mine and Hugo's that is."

"You're 15 then?" I asked feeling a little better.

"I'm 16, she's 15. Missed the cutoff otherwise I would be a 6th year." Hugo said taking a bit out of a piece of chocolate. At that moment the train started to pull away from the station and everyone but me waved good bye to their parents. Mine were probably at work thinking about a year with no children. I thought about missing my flight to England but desided that would have been a bad idea. Minerva must have gone through alot to get me here.

"So," Albus said sitting back down. "Why weren't you asked to come to Hogwarts sooner?"

"In the letter MacGonagall said something about treating my school years as a sort of muggle studies."

"So we can come to you for muggle related questions then?" asked Rosie intrigued.

"I guess so," I said feeling welcomed.

"So tell me, what the function of a rubber duck is." she said excited.

"I'm sorry, but what?"

"A rubber duck! what is the function!?" Rosie seemed all to enthused about the question.

"To float in the bathtub?" I said rather confused. "It's just a toy for small children."

"Thats so American," she said unenthused. "Why can't you just use a real duck?"

Then Hugo chimed in, "I don't think it would go very well for the person trying to take a bath sis."

"Anything from the trolly?" asked an extreamly old woman pushing a cart down the hallway of the train car.

"How much are the pumpkin pasties?" I asked looking at the cart.

"Four sickles," the woman said sticking a bony hand.

"What is that like 25 cents?" I asked reaching my hand into my pocket. I had forgoten that I traded in all my american muggle money for wizarding currency.

"That's so American," I heard Scorpio say from behind me. I handed the woman four sickles and sat back down. While the others paid for their sweets I wondered if my life would ever be normal again.


	2. Warmish Walcome

My ride on the train was rather interesting. First off, each of my new friends took turns explaining to me where things where in the castle. I remember very little of what was said. Secondly, they each told me who not to get on the wrong side of. Since I was American they figured I was going to make more than a few people mad. But what else was new for me? After the train ride we started to make our way to the castle. I made it a grand total of three steps off the train before making a new… friend.

"So you're the new kid huh?" said a large guy with a brick sized fist. "So since your American you think you can just waltz into our school? Think that no one will notice you? I did ya filthy muggle."

"If he's a muggle then how the hell did he get here?" called Albus stepping off the train. "I bet he has more brain then you do Evan."

"Hell," came Scorpio's voice. "That rock is smarter than him."

"This doesn't concern the two of you," came Evan's voice. His face was red and blotchy; I don't think he was used to some much thinking or working.

"That's enough," came the powerful voice of a woman. She seemed to appear out of nowhere which could be entirely possible considering she was a witch. "Come with me Nathanial."

Without hesitation I followed her up the path. This must be McGonagall, I thought. We boarded a cart that pulled itself up the rest of the path to the school and I was rather delighted to be away from that guy.

"We will get you sorted into a house as soon as we get you to the castle. Then you will be a little more accepted."

"Thanks," I said. Apparently she wanted me to fit in just as badly as I wanted me to. The castle was grand and it made me a little queasy. I would soon have to learn how to navigate my way through the maze of hallways and staircases; which I was told move around.

"Your luggage will be awaiting in your dormitory and oh dear," she said looking at my outfit. "You aren't in your robes."

"They're in my trunk," I said avoiding eye contact.

"That's so American," she said under her voice. Wow, I thought, even my teachers are doing it. "Well I'll get your robe while you are being sorted. Hurry up we don't want to have to sort you with the first years."

"That would be nice," I said as she led me into the great hall. Candles floated above my head and to my luck wax dripped into my shoulder. The ceiling looked like the star filled sky outside and I wondered if that was actually a ceiling.

"Come, sit!" she said as I had apparently stopped in the middle of the hall to look at the ceiling.

"Sorry," I sighed and sat down on the stool set in the front of the hall. As I looked out at the hall I saw four long tables that stretched the length of the room. In back of me was table that stretched the width of the room probably for the teachers.

"Here," she said placing an old hat onto my head. She also thrust one of my robes into my hands. So nice, I thought to myself. Then I heard someone else talking.

"Why you're heads very interesting to read," it was the hat. The freaking hat was talking. Magic was starting to freak me out a bit. "Now what do we have here, you are smart. That is most of what I can tell. You also have a way to think that no one else does. Oh that would have put you in Ravenclaw, but there is something in here about getting into lots of trouble. So you have a knack for trouble huh? Slytherin would be grateful to have you… except you do not want to go there huh?" The hat could read my mind, terrific. "Well then I have no choice but to put you in Ravenclaw."

"Good now sit at the table over there," McGonagall said pointing to a table all the way to the left of the hall. I could only hope the Ravenclaw would be filled with nicer people. By now people had started to pour into the great hall.

"Hi my names Kris," a boy with dirty blonde hair said sitting next to me. He was about 6 foot and was built pretty well. He seemed to be nice and to me nice was not trying to beat me up as soon as he saw me. "So, you're the new kid?"

"Yeah," I sighed, how could he tell? "I'm Nate."

"What year are you Nate?" he asked sitting down next to me, so far I had a few friends and at least one enemy.

"Fifth I think, what about you?"

"Sixth," he said. More people had arrived at the table and none of them seemed like they wanted to kill me. A few first years were sorted into our house and I knew how they felt. Just a little bit like an outsider. On the bright side I had made a few friends.

"C'mon Nate," said Kris pulling me up from the table. We had just had an amazing meal and I was feeling rather tired. Everyone was making their way from the great hall to their dormitories. "Just follow me so ya don't get lost."

"Alright," I said really not wanting to get lost. The Ravenclaw common room was located in one of the tallest towers. Instead of us remembering a password we had to answer a riddle. Kris thought that since I was new I should give it a try. So I used the silver knocker and a metalicy voice came out what looked like a ravens head.

"Two fathers and two sons go fishing and they each catch one fish. How do they come home with only three fish?"

"Umm…" I said trying to think. Ok, I thought, I might be sleeping in the stair well every night if I can't open the door and no one comes to help me. So, three fish… would mean there are only three people. A father and son, and a father and son went though. Oh I think that's it. "There are two sets of father and son totaling in three people. A grandfather, a father, and his son."

"Very well reasoned," came the voice again and the door swung open.

"Nice mate," said Kris's voice as we entered the room.


	3. Lost and Flower

It had been just about two months since I started school at Hogwarts. Most of my Ravenclaw friends thought that it was cool that I was American and asked me a lot of weird questions like "Do you really drive on the right?" or "Do you know my uncle? I think he lived near you." Of course I never knew of the family member to which they were referring. The United States was much bigger then they seemed to think.

"What kind of wand did you say you had?" asked Kris the day before Halloween. The night before I misplaced my wand and it hadn't turned up.

"Elm, 11 ½ inch, dragon heart string," I said trying to remember what Olivanders apprentice, Jewel's had told me it was.

"What's it look like again?" he asked as we walked the corridor. We had a free block first so we were retracing my steps.

"The shaft is plain," it was rather hard to describe something that I spent so little time studying. "But it's got this ring like thing above the handle which is octagon shaped."

"You're sure that it's not in the dormitory?" Kris asked as we ascended the steps into our tower.

"Pretty sure," I said ignoring the question we were asked because Kris answered in on his first attempt. Kris was the first to get into the actual dorm room. Then while I watched he crawled under my bed and came back second later holding a black slender stick.

"Oh," was all I could manage, than I tried in my best British accent to say "I know, I know, 'That's so American."

"Got that right mate," he said giving me a pat on the back. This was one of our only times to hang out because I had a fifth year schedule and he had a sixth year. "Where you goin' next?"

"Herbology," I said with a grin. The one block I sat next to the most beautiful girl in school.

"I'll walk with you down there," Kris said kindly. There was something in his voice that I couldn't decipher. "I have care for magical creatures and it's on the way."

"Hi Nate," Lily said as we walked up to the greenhouse. "Hi Kris."

"Hi," said Kris quickly. "Don't forget about quidditch practice Nate."

"How is that going?" Lily asked. She was the seeker for her team, apparently just like her father.

"I haven't died yet," I said making her laugh. "For the most part its fun but those bludgers really like me for some reason."

"I noticed," she said kind of softly. Before I could ask her what she meant the doors to the green house were opened to reveal our teacher Professor Longbottom. He was wearing a thick green cloak and had on rather think gloves. He seemed to have been wrestling with a devil snare. I'm told that is a very deadly plant.

"Today we will be experimenting on successfully crossbreeding plants," he said as people took their usual places. Mine was next to Lily and a very large Venus fly trap. There were no further explanations just the usual good luck and he began to walk around the room inspecting what people were making. The Slytherin's usually made some ferocious type of flower that would enjoy eating you as a snack. Most of which ended up near me. I had better plans, I was going to make the most beautiful flower and use it to ask Lily to the Halloween ball tomorrow.

Which flowers? I asked myself. Defiantly a tiger lily, and a sunflower, oh and a bleeding heart. But I need something else, something to make it stand out. But what?

Nothing was coming to me, then I realized a never wither spell could be used on the flower so she could always keep it.

"Wow," Lily said as I was enlarging the petals on the flower I had created. It was a bright orange from the lily with pink highlights from the bleeding heart. The sunflower wasn't added because I didn't it was needed. "It's beautiful."

"Thanks," I said then muttered under my breath. "Purificum."

"Who's it for?" she asked admiring it.

"Well," I said trying to compose myself. "It's for you. Would you be my date to the Halloween ball?"

"Yes," she said with a twinkle in her eye. "Thank you for asking."

"What do you mean?" I asked pushing the flower towards her.

"A few other guys already asked me," she said shying away a little. "But I told them I already had a date."

"So why did you say yes to me?"

"I was hoping you would ask before it was too late."

"Makes sence," I said a bit confused.

"I'm surprised no one asked you," she said looking into my eyes. Her chocalate brown eyes made me go week at the knees and I would have topled if the table hadn't been proping me up.

"I'm not," I said completely seriouse. "Not many people like me."

"Well I do," she said with a smile. "And if they never saw how handsome you are then I'm glad that I got to."

"Thanks," I said with a slight blush.

"How was your day?" asked Kris and dinner that night.

"It went really well," I said trying to keep my emotions in. "How was yours?"

"Coulda been better," he said starting to eat.

"Hi Nate," Lily said sitting behind me at the Gryffindor table.

"How was practice?" I asked even though I stayed to watch her.

"It was fine I guess. How was yours?"

"I finally found him a position to play in," Kris said triumphantly.

"I'm the Keeper," I said enthusiastically. "The only place I hadn't tried yet."

"So why are you sitting over here Lily?" asked Kris randomly. "Don't you usally sit at the other end near the teachers?"

"Not anymore," Lily said with a wink to me that went unnoticed by Kris.

"How come?" he asked looking perplexed.

"I want to be near my boyfriend," she said and Kris's mouth dropped. By the looks of it he seemed hurt.


	4. Epic Win

"Kris," I said when we got back up to the dorms. "You haven't said a word to me all dinner, what's the deal bro?"

"I asked Lily to go with me a few days ago," she said spinning around turning around so we were inches away.

"I'm sorry," I said feeling somewhat guilty. "If I had known you asked her I would have put bro's before hoes."

"That was wicked American," he said stifling a smile. "But after she said know I thought I could go with you."

"You mean as friends right?" I said eyeing him.

"Uh," he said turning back around to sit on his bed. "Yeah, just as friends."

"Next time," I said flopping down onto my own bed. My best friend was slightly mad at me, yet I was extremely happy. I had a girlfriend, and the best part was she wanted me just as much as I wanted her. Then I realized I had to make her corsage for tomorrow night. It was going to be the same flowers I had made her in Herbology but they were going to be smaller and there was going to be more of them.

"What are you doing?" Kris asked sitting on my bed next to me.

"Making Lily her corsage," I said putting on the finishing touches. "What do you think?"

"It's nice."

"Thanks," I said looking down at my watch to check the time. "Damn, its 1 in the morning."

"Really?" asked Kris looking confused.

"Yeah," I said setting the corsage on the night stand next to my bed. "I need to sleep if I'm gonna be ready for our match tomorrow."

"Ok," he said leaping over to his bed. With that I pulled off my shirt and fell asleep before my head hit the pillow. I hadn't realized how tired I was.

"Looks like Ravenclaw's new keeper is just what was needed," came the voice of Hugo Weasley. "Nothing can get by him which leaves the score at 10-0 Ravenclaw."

I was in the zone. Nothing was phasing me; not the crowd yelling, or the sun that occasionally hit my eyes from behind a cloud. 20 minutes into the game and I had blocked every bludger or quaffle that came my way. After 40 minutes we were up 25-5 because the sun hit my dead in the face as a quaffle flew past my ear. I wanted to win so badly, I wanted to beat my girlfriend's team. As bad it that sounds, I didn't want her not to find the snitch. I wanted Meg, our seeker, to catch it first. After an hour and a half we had 155 points to Gryffindor's 5. But then the whistle blew and the match was called to stop. Lily had caught the snitch, making the game tied. As she flew past me she smiled as if she had just won the match, but it wasn't over. The next point was going to win, it all depended on me. Nothing was let in on either side of the quidditch pitch. So for another half an hour our two teams were trapped in a stale mate.

"Somebody on my team fucking score!" I bellowed tossing the quaffle I had just caught to one of my teammates. I was getting really tired of sitting on that broom, it wasn't comfortable anymore. Then the next thing I know the whistle blows. Sun had blinded everyone one a broom momentarily so it was up to Hugo to tell us who won.

"And with that," Hugo announced. "Ravenclaw wins!"

"Thank you!" I shouted just happy to get off my damn broom. I was sweating really bad because of the thick uniforms and needed a shower.

"Nicely done," Lily said landing next to me as we exited the pitch. Somehow the wind didn't affect her hair in the slightest.

"You weren't too bad yourself," I said and we hugged. "If only you caught that snitch sooner, then you would have won."

"If you weren't my boyfriend I would slap you right now," she said playfully.

"Well I'm gonna go shower," I said letting go of her. "I'll see you in a little bit."

"Ok," she said walking away. I stood there dumbfounded in the middle of the pitch watching her ass as she walked away.

"You gonna stand there all day?" came a familiar voice that pulled me away from my girl.

"I'm coming," I said absentmindedly walking away from Lily. It was Kris who had called to me and he was grinning from ear to ear.

"Nicely done!" everyone called to me as I exited the showers. People slapped me on the back and high fived me for a good few minutes until I told them I wanted to put cloths on and that the towel I raped around my wait wasn't enough. The worst part was the people hugging me while I was standing there in my boxers.

What don't English people get about personal space? I thought to myself.

"Ready for the dance tonight?" I heard someone call out.

"So ready," another responded. I was ready too; ready to dance with the most perfect girl in the school.

"That was some nice work," Kris said embracing me in a big hug. It was longer than what the other guys had done and seemed more affectionate but I was too busy thinking about Lily to care that we were bother shirtless and he was only in his under wear. "Lily's a very lucky girl."


	5. Surprise

"Nate," asked Jordan, our seeker. "Are you really going to the ball with Lily?"

"Yeah," I replied happily. "In fact I'm on my way to meet her now. Kris?"

"Right here," he said stepping into the common room. "Ready, Jordan?"

"Yes," she said with a smile. It turned out she had a crush on him all year, ever since the first quidditch practice of the season. She was a sixth year just like he was so they had classes together. Unlike me cause I'm a fifth year; but Lily is in a few of my classes so I guess it doesn't matter. "We'll see you at the dance."

"OK," I said heading down the corridor to the Gryffindor common room. Lily was waiting for me by the door. Most of the people were wearing costumes but we wanted to distort each other to have a little fun. "Let's go someplace quieter."

"Over here," she said pulling me into a small room. It was empty aside from a mirror and a couple of chairs. "You first."

"Ok," I said walking toward the chair closest to the mirror. "But there's something I wanna show you first."

"What is it?" she asked backing away slightly but she had a curious tone to her voice. With a wink I began to change. My body started to grow a slender black fur all over it. My arms and legs began to shrink, and my head started to elongate.

"Whoa," she said taking a step back. In those few seconds my cloths had been ripped apart and fallen around my body. My tail swished happily back and forth across the floor raising a small dust could. "Are, are you a wolf?"

All I could do was nod my head and wag my tail. My shiny black fur glistened from the light outside in the hall. Lily came over and stared into my eyes, then started to scratch me behind the ear. It felt so good. Now I understood what it felt like. But when she stopped I started to whine a little and she scratched me again. It was the best feeling in the world.

"Alright, change back before you get caught," as I did so I only managed to produce a pair of boxers.

"Sorry," I said but I wasn't sure why. "I haven't really mastered the clothes thing yet."

"It's fine, repairo," she said pointing her wand at my shredded clothing.

"Thanks," I said pulling back on my pants and holding my t-shirt. "Alright now you can distort my face."

"I really don't want to though," she said batting her eyelashes. "I don't want anything to go wrong and not have you able to change back."

"Come here," I said drawing her in tight. I looked down into her eyes and our lips met. Her lips were cool to the touch and mine felt like fire. Her hands were pressed onto my pecks with a light touch. All time seemed to be suspended. If only we could have stayed there. If only we didn't have to at least show up to the dance. "We don't have to go in costume or disguise."

"We could just stay here," she whispered. "But that might not turn out well."

"Should be go then?" I asked as we separated. I felt colder when she took her step back; almost incomplete.

"Yes," she said but didn't move a muscle. "Wait, I can make it so you don't have to put your shirt back on."

"How," I asked looking at her. Without hesitation she took a vile from her pocket that seemed to be filled with blood.

"Krakens blood," she said painting streaks across my chest. As the blood dried it looked as though I had been in some sort of accident. "Now put some on my face."

"Alright," I said dumping some blood into my hand. I made a dark spot on her forehead as if she had been shot and let it run down her face. Then I took a little soot from the windowsill and rubbed it under her eyes to make her appear dead. I then did the same to my eyes. "Now we can go. But why did you have a thing of krakens blood in your pocket?"

"It was going to be a prank for my brother," she said slyly. "But this was a much better idea."

"Oh," I said reaching into my pocket. "This is for you."

"It's lovely," she said putting on the corsage of crushed and wilted flowers.

"They were supposed to be alive," I chuckled. "But it's nicer this way."

"Bout time you two showed up!" called Albus. "You two look disgusting!"

"Thank you," I smiled. "I try my hardest!"

"How's he treating you?" Albus asked Lily.

"Pretty well thanks," she said with a sneer.

"It's almost time for the awards," came another voice; one I knew very well. "Where the hell were you too?"

"We were making out, Kris." I said with a straight face.

"OK," he said with a laugh. "Why are you bleeding?"

"I was attacked on my way down," I said very sarcasticaly.

"It's just krakens blood," said Lily reasuringly.

"What awards do they hand out?" I asked looking around the great hall. Jack-o-lanters floated where the candels used to be, and a full moon was reflected in the ceiling with a crystal clear sky.

"You'll see in a few," Kris called to us and disapeared into the croud. Just as he did that the band started to play a slow song. To be perfectly honest I had no idea there was a band in this school.

"Wanna dance?" I asked Lily, taking her hand. I placed my hands on her waists and she put hers around my neck.

"This is wonderful," she said in a dreamy voice. "It's a shame we have to spend this night with other people."

"I know," I said looking around. Teachers were separating couples left and right; making sure they weren't standing too close. Time seemed to streach on for ever while I was dancing with Lily but eventually Hugo's voice interupted the peacfulness.

"Who want's to get some awards?" he asked and the hall erupted in cheers. "Alright then, the best costumes go to: Crystal and Jenna, the mermaids over there in the corner," On and on the awards went. Sometimes groups would win and sometime only a single person. "And finally, the best couple here tonight is.."

"Come out with it!" called someone from the thick of the crowed.

"I was pausing for dramatic effect!" Hugo exclaimed. "Alright, the best couple here is, my cousin Lily and her boy Nate!"


	6. Marked

Silence. The entire hall fell silent. No one said anything for a solid minute as they searched for Lily and me. Then once people located us they started to clap and cheer and we got pushed onto the stage. Once there we were given a little plaque that read best couple.

"Thank you," Lily exclaimed happily. As for me on the other hand I waved and nodded my thanks. Before we could get off the stage someone stared an inaudible chant. After that it grew until the entire hall was chanting.

"Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss," the chant swelled until everyone in the room was saying it. Everyone, that is except for the teachers and Albus. He had a smirk on his face like I didn't have the balls to kiss his sister in front of the entire school much less him. So I did. We kissed full on and everyone shut up immediately.

"Happy?" I asked and everyone laughed. I even saw Albus smile a little. I could assume that he would be talking to me later.

"Well then," Hugo said taking the stage again as we walked back to our spot in the dance. "Let's keep this party going shall we?"

As the music started up again and filled the hall the energy levels went higher than before. Everyone was happy. The people not dancing were standing around talking and laughing. The teachers seemed to be enjoying themselves too. It was just a mass of positive energy. That was until Albus came over to talk to me.

"Hey can you come with me a sec?" he asked and glared at me with a don't-say-no kind of look.

"Yeah," I said and told Lily that I would be back in a bit. "What's up?"

"Really?" he asked as we left the great hall. "You don't know what's up?"

"No," I said trying to figure things out. "If it's about that kiss-"

"Nah," he said with a smile. "She's your girl now. I don't care if you kiss her or whatever. There's something else."

"What?" I asked as we turned down a dimly lit hallway. He spun on me catching me off guard and pushed me against the wall. He was a few inches shorter then I was and we might have been matched for strength but I could have stopped him if I was given a little warning.

"You," he started off in a low voice. I could tell he was trying to be threatening. "Jameson said he say you turn into a wolf today. Is that true? If it is I don't want a werewolf around my sister. We've got on in the family. He's my great-uncle on my mum's side. Anyways, I don't want you near her because you could hurt her."

"Relax dude," I said shoving him aside. "I'm an animagus."

"You are?" he asked dumbfounded. I don't think that was the answer he was expecting to hear. "In that case I want you to prove it."

"Step back then," I said and once he did that I changed into a wolf. I sat there happily wagging my tail while Albus inspected me.

"Fine I believe you," he said and a huge grin broke across his face. "Do you think you could teach me to do that?"

"No one will be teaching anyone anything," came the calm clear voice of Mrs. McGonagall.

"Busted," I said changing back into my human form.

"Yes," she sighed. "You are indeed busted. What is the meaning of all this?"

"You see ma'am," I started to explain. "Albus wanted to make sure I wasn't a werewolf since I'm dating his sister and I had to show him I wasn't a threat to her."

"Oh is that all?" she asked. "And where did you learn to do that?"

"Book," I muttered. "I went to the library the other day and found a book on becoming an animagus in the transfiguration section."

"I thought I had all those books taken away," she sighed. "Well since you are already an animagus then you will report to my office first thing after breakfast tomorrow morning. And if you wish to be one yourself Mr. Potter you will join him. Now, I suggest we return for the rest of the dance."

"Where are you going?" Kris asked as I finished my breakfast and got up from the table the next morning. "We have practice in a few minutes."

"Professor McGonagall asked me to come to her office after breakfast."

"When will you be done?" he asked in a way that made him a good captain.

"As soon as she lets me go," I sighed as Albus walked over to me. "Listen after this is done I'm all yours."

"Ready?" asked Albus as we walked down to corridor.

"Might as well be," I sighed.

"There you are," Professor McGonagall said as we walked into her office. "Hurry up we don't want to be late."

"Where is it we're going exactly?" I asked confused.

"To get the both of you registered," she said as if we ought to have known. "I don't want unlicensed animagus' running around. So take hold of this and we should be off in a moment or two."

"Portkey?" I guessed and the others gave me an awkward look. It was a broken cat figurine that was missing its front paw and the tail. Then without a moment's notice I was compressed into nothingness. The world was spinning and my ears popped. I didn't really like traveling by Portkey much. When the world came back into focus Albus and I slammed into the hard marble flooring of the Ministry of Magic.

"This way," Professor McGonagall said and led us down a short hallway and into a rather large marble room. Inside sat a witch with quite too much time on her hands. She had bewitched all the office supplies on her desk to dance for her and once she noticed we had been standing in the doorway they fell silent and dropped back down onto her desk.

"Can I help you?" she asked and I could tell she genuinely wanted to help.

"Yes," McGonagall said in a mater-o-fact tone. "These two boys would like to register as animagus."

"Splendid," she said and waved us in front of her desk. "Now, I'll need you two answer some questions first. So who wants to be first?"

"I'll go," I said and she turned her chair so she was fully facing me.

"Alright," she said and clicked a pen. "What is your age?"

"16."

"Do you have parent of guardian concent?"

"I'm from america-"

"Oh, ok then," she said that like it changed everything. "Have you already chosen the animal you wish to turn into?"

"A wolf," I said without hesitation. She wrote that onto a sheet of paper and moved onto the next question.

"Have you already learned how to change into that creature?"

"Yes," I said and I changed so that I was now a rather large entirely black wolf. I made the witch jump a little because when she looked up she hadn't expected me to change.

"Alright," she said composing herself. "If you could just walk over here so I can take a few pictures that would be great. I did so and then she asked me to turn back into myself. This time when I changed I managed to bring back my shirt. I wondered where the others had gone.

"Now if you will just sign here and initial here you will be all set," she said and I did so. "Oh, you will also need to give me your wand so we can mark it."

"Mark it?" I asked pressing my wand against my thigh through my jean pocket.

"Yes," she sighed. "Instead of making you carry a license around like a muggle we mark your wands. It's just another added piece of information for your wand to tell us. Relax, it won't change the way the wand functions or feels."

"Ok," I sighed and handed her my wand. She put it into a long thin box and pushed a button. Seconds later the box opened up and I got my wand back. While Albus went through the same procedure I did I inspected my wand. For five minutes I couldn't find a single change in my wand. Then upon further inspection I found and 'A' on the botom of my wand that was almost invisable. It was neither any type of ink or a carving. It was just there.


	7. Try to Forget

"That's not fair," Albus mumbled as we left the registration office. A few more wizards had shown up looking to register dragons. I didn't happen to hear what for but it might have been the equivalent to a dog's license.

"Parents aren't always fair," I agreed. His parents had told him he couldn't become and animagus while he lived under their roof.

"I'm gonna go and register as soon as I can."

"Good to know," said Professor McGonagall. I had almost forgotten that she was standing right next to us.

"I don't like one thing though," I said holding onto my wand. "Why did they have to mark it?"

"It's just in case you are in hiding," she began to explain. "And if you've left your wand someplace, by accident or on purpose, then they know what to look for. It's just a precaution."

"I know the lady said it wouldn't feel any different," I said rotating it in my hands. "But it doesn't feel as welcoming as it did a few minutes before."

"Mine felt the same way," McGonagall agreed. "It should start to feel normal in a matter of time."

It never did. It had been almost two months since I had gotten registered and it still felt unwelcoming. My spells were not as powerful as they had been in the past. It was like driving a car you weren't used to. The old one, the one you practiced on, was comforting and you knew how it would respond to your every movement. But when that car is inaccessible and you have to take a different one it just doesn't feel the same.

"I'm tempted to ask Santa for a new wand," I said at the dinner before Christmas break began.

"That is so American," Kris said shaking his head. "Only you would say you would do that."

"I was joking of course," I sighed. "Anyways, what are you doing for break?"

"I'm not sure yet," Kris said looking around. "Mum was supposed to send me an owl today telling me to stay or come home. Every other year or so my parents take a trip someplace; most of the time without me."

"I'm sorry," I said sympathetically. "If you have to stay I'll more than likely be here."

"I'll keep that in mind," he said with a smile.

"Hey," Lily said and we kissed. Most of the time she sat next to me until someone told her to move. When that happened she would just swing around and sit with her back to me. After a few minutes I would then join her at the Gryffindor table.

"So," I said placing my hand on her leg. "What's up?"

"I have some great news," she said grinning from ear to ear. "My parents said you could come and stay with us for Christmas if you wanted."

"Really!?" I exclaimed. "That's fantastic! How did you manage that?"

"I can be really persuasive," she said with a wink. "I'll see you on the train tomorrow then."

"Alright," I said and we kissed goodbye. "Guess I won't be staying after all."

"Neither am I," Kris said happily. "My mom said they weren't going out this year and for me to come home."

"High five," I said out of sheer excitement. "Neither of us has to spend Christmas alone."

"We would have been together though."

"You know what I meant," I said and started to eat some pumpkin pie. That night while I packed alone in the dorm I was way too happy to contain it. Because of this I didn't manage to pack my things properly and my trunk wouldn't close at all.

"There a reason you're packing up everything?" Kris said leaning against his bed. "Should I even bother saying it?"

"Umm…" I said looking down at my over flowing trunk. "I'm just gonna pack a backpack full of stuff instead. And yeah I know I'm an American."

"You excited much?" he asked with a laugh?

"Very," I said trying to control myself. We stood in silence as I packed my backpack full of the necessary clothes and whatever else I might need. "Done."

"Proud of you," he said sarcastically and added some clapping. "Now what?"

"I pass out from exhaustion," I said noticing how tired I was. "It's only 9?"

"Yeah," he said. "Seems later doesn't it?"

"I just want it to be tomorrow already," I sighed and flopped down onto my bed.

"You ok?"

"Yeah why?"

"I don't know, just wondering." A moment passed of complete silence and I'm pretty sure I passed out on my bed. I knew I was half asleep because I couldn't see anything. I could feel warmth though. The blanket around me was throwing back my heat and it was really soothing. No, that was wrong. None of my blankets did that. The more I thought about it the more alert my senses became. It wasn't a blanket at all. It was a person. I would feel an arm resting on my shoulder. Whoever it was they were built similarly to me. Tall with a muscled build; definitely not Lily.

"Who?" I asked opening my eyes and looking around. "What are you doing?"

"Huh?" asked Kris. He was the one that was spooning me.

"Dude!"

"I'm sorry," he said sitting up and looking a little ashamed. "I didn't mean to. I just really like you."

"So you're-"

"Bi," he sighed. "I'm sorry. I should have told you before. What I did was stupid. I'll never talk to you again."

"Whoa," I said making him pause. "I admit that you should have told me about that. But I still like you. We'll just pretend that tonight didn't happen."

"Ok," she said with a smile. "I like that idea. So what would you do if I kissed you?"

"I only let Lily do that," I said with a smirk. "And now she's the only one I'm gonna be sleeping with. Got it?"

"Yeah," he said blushing. "But umm…"

"What?" I said a little afraid of what would happen next.

"Nothing," he said getting into his own bed. "Just forget tonight never happened."


End file.
